Nepal’s Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) led by Balendra Shah, popularly known as Balen, is set to form the next government after registering a sweeping victory in the country’s general elections, according to emerging results from the Election Commission.
The 35-year-old leader, a rapper-turned-politician who rose to prominence after winning the Kathmandu mayoral election in 2022, is likely to become the youngest Prime Minister in Nepal’s history and the first Madhesi leader to hold the post.
According to the latest available data, the RSP has secured 122 seats in the first-past-the-post system and is leading in several other constituencies, putting it far ahead of rival political parties.
Nepali Congress has secured around 17 seats, while the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) led by former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has won only a handful of constituencies, indicating a major political shift in the Himalayan nation.
The House of Representatives in Nepal consists of 275 seats, of which 165 are filled through the first-past-the-post electoral system while the remaining 110 seats are allocated through proportional representation based on the overall vote share of political parties.
Counting for proportional representation seats is still underway, but early trends suggest that the RSP is also leading the vote share in this category.
Election observers say the landslide victory reflects growing public dissatisfaction with traditional political parties and strong support for political change, particularly among younger voters.
The elections were held on March 5 following months of political instability that began after widespread youth-led protests in September last year forced the resignation of the government led by KP Sharma Oli.
The protests, largely driven by Nepal’s Gen Z population, demanded action against corruption, an end to nepotism in politics and greater transparency in governance.
Analysts believe the rise of Balen Shah represents a generational shift in Nepal’s political landscape, as voters appear to have backed a new leadership promising reforms and cleaner governance.
Several senior leaders from established parties suffered defeats in the elections, including prominent figures from the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML.
Among the three former prime ministers who contested the polls, only Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ managed to retain his seat, while other senior leaders lost to candidates from the RSP and other emerging political groups.
The RSP’s victory has also been notable for the success of women candidates, with 13 female nominees from the party winning parliamentary seats in the election.
Political analysts say that while the new party appears to have secured comfortable numbers to form the government, the major challenge ahead will be delivering on the high expectations of voters who supported the party’s promise of change.
Meanwhile, Nepal’s interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki has indicated that a detailed report of the investigation commission probing last year’s Gen Z protests will not be immediately released and will instead be studied by the incoming government.
With vote counting nearing completion, the RSP appears poised to take control of the government and usher in a new political chapter in Nepal. [KNT]
